People Director – Food Manufacturing
£120,000 + car allowance & bonus
Berkshire | Full-time | Office-based - 5 days a week
We're partnering with a high-performing, fast-paced food manufacturing business to find a commercially minded
People Director
. This is a rare opportunity to join a small but ambitious organisation that punches well above its weight—and is on an exciting growth trajectory.
Reporting directly to the MD, you'll lead the end-to-end People function and play a key role as part of a close-knit, collaborative senior leadership team. Based at the Berkshire site (alongside the rest of the SLT), you'll also occasionally visit the company's second manufacturing plant.
Your mission? To shape the business for success. Through commercial and reactive HR policies and prcactices, you will supports business growth, and sharpen operational performance. You'll inherit a well-run function and team, supporting a workforce of around 600. The focus will be on building a forward-looking, commercially aligned People agenda that adds real value to the business. There are plans to invest in and modernise the sites, and much transformation work will follow - embedding new ways of working, automation & workforce planning for the future.
What we're looking for:
* Senior HR leadership experience within the manufacturing sector - ideally food
* Experience of being part of a plant/factory senior management team, as the HR leader
* Strong people management background
* A practical, commercial mindset with a hands-on approach to HR
* Ability to react fast to business need and work with senior management team to build resiliance and operational effectiveness.
* A broad HR generalist background and a willingness to roll up your sleeves
This role is office-based five days a week
, so you would either need to be in commuting distance of the Berkshire office, or happy to stay away a couple of days a week, to make the journeys manageable. The business fosters a culture of trust and flexibility—recognising the importance of balancing work and life in a way that works for individuals and the business.